Key container



Nov. 20, 1951 A. D. MITCHELL 2,575,424

KEY CONTAINER Filed April 15, 1947 A INV EN TOR.

A T rok/VE ya Patented Nov. 20, `1951* I UNIT-o PATENT OFFICE.

21,575,424 -KEYCDNTAUUER flan Mitchell, Detroit; l'Mich. Aiiiieati ifr'iis, 194i; 'serai ogrirse l invention relates to key containers and particularly to a container arranged to hold a plurality of keys in retracted positions fro'n `which theyfclanbe jselectiveli'f projected for'us'e.

'It is kn'o'vvi'to .provide key containers in which one 'or r'iore keys inay'b secured for movement between'a position retracted within the container and ya projcted or extended position vin which the key'bit prog'e'cts Vbeyncl'the container for insertion intolthe oorrspo'nclingY lock. Such devices spreviously proposed however have been unduly expensive; bulkydifcult to insert the keys into and remove keys from; unreliable in projecting the keys to'a usable position; and of insufcient s'trengthto withstand the torque incident torotating' the key in the lock. It is among the objects of the present invention to provide an improved key container which is inexpensive to manufacture. of minimum size and weight, of adequate strength to withstand a long period 'of service without damage or breakage, whichis arranged for the easy insertion and rempvableofkeys Kso that the keys-caribe Changed whenever desired andakeyymay be quickly and c onviiiently' removed from the Container if it is desired to use it separatelywhich utilizes a mini; ninmnurnber of d iierent parts, and is neat and 'Harriett/ein apearahe' i Other Qbi'eQtS and advantages will bemin@ v2inparent 4from a consideration ofthe followingjdejsriptionin cpnjvnnction with the accompanyinedrawma wherein; Figure 1 is, e top plarl. view Of a key Container illustratie-f AFigiireZ` is alongitudinal sectional view on 111161111@ 2.-'2 0f Figure1- Fig'iire isa perspective view oi'aslide block forl ec' 'ivin`g .the handle or bitt'prtior oi akey,

Figure 4 isV a 'cover forthe block shown in Fisiie' Figiire is 'a perspective view of fragmentary portion of the riht hand end ofthe ky con: tainer as'view'ed in ligu'resV 1 andZ,

Fiu're 6 is a perspective yView` of an end c'ovr mber'for the kev'eiai'er. and Figure' 7 is a iiigitiidinarseotioriai view similar iprovd key container comprises' a body portion,

with piiiiiy @moat-ea ingituamai-sioti is each havingI at one nd thereof an extension oirise'i M and inter e h-1i ijgti 1tiiere a safoificl ofE-'setorektensin I5; 'a solid'bottornwall ifilA two side walis l1 and and `andend; wall fig pr vidd with spaced apertures 2b krespectively'in alignment with the slots l3 and through wh ch the bit'V or blade portions of the keys'arev et'ridile when `mbvedfr`o`m the r'e'tactedpositfn; illiistrated in Figi`1r'2'-,` totheirxtnddfor projected position@ I i ASpaced partitions 2| extend'between Vthe bot: torri wall 1 6 and 'top wall l2 'f the body Viriir`1lde'1 iii substantially parallel t`0` thefs'ide-'walls l1 and i8; 'dividini `,I the bod-y 'member' into a plurality of separate rectangular compartments each of which c ommunicates'vvith a respective slotl 3 in the top walllZ'.- i A siidebio'ck; aslgeiieraliy indicated atizz; is 'siidabiy ihoiiritd ineach compartment provided by the sidewalls' l1 and I8 and the partitions 2i to receive thehandleorbutt portion of are; soectiv key and maintain the key 'in operative position iriy the corresponding compartment;

v.The slide block 22, as particularly .illustrated iniFi'giire 3,v comprises a rectangularsid YmerriberZS provided along 'each edge thereof with a marginal ange; as indicatedatlihth outer edg'e of theserflange portions being bent over to aposition substantially'parallel to the side mem-'- bei' 23, as indicatedlat-ZB. The ang-along' one ed'ge ofrth member-23 has an aperture 26 therein of a size to closelyfit the neck portionof a kei holder in the compartment'. ing. roer 2W te prima there.

may bimovied fait ortho tnejcorrespondirigkey i rrbicred Motionand irai ii the e .Y 859 projecten; Bythis'niea s the `key isiocked'in either its retracted or projected position so that the keys cannot accidently be lost from the container, and will not be pushed back into the container while being inserted in a lock.

The cover plate 29 iits over the open side of the key holder 22 within the ange portion thereof and has a perpendicular extension which fits behind the key to position the key toward the portion of the key holding block in which the aperture 2B is provided. In the case of a key having a small butt or handle portion additional packing members or shims may be interposed between the member 30 and the adjacent end oi the key handle to retain the key rmly in the holder.

The slots I3 extend entirely to the right hand end of the body I0, as viewed in Figure l, and particularly shown in Figure 5, so rthat the key holders may be inserted in` the compartments provided by the partitions 2| and the tongue portions 278 may enter into the corresponding slots. When it is desired to remove a key from the container or add a key to the container the end closure member II is removed from the body I0, the desired key holder 22 is removed from the corresponding compartment, the key either removed thererom or inserted therein, and the key and key holder returned to operative positions in the corresponding compartment in the body of the key container. The partitions 2| extending transversely of the body lll render this member extremely strong and durable and the connections between the key and the body through the intermediacy of the key holder 22 is of adequate strength to support torque forces exerted on a key in unlocking a lock. w

The end closure member is an integral, preferably molded, rectangular body having an end wall 32, a top wall 33, side walls and 36 and transverse ribs 31 extending between the top Wall 33 and bottom wall 34 substantially parallel to the side walls and dimensioned to fit into the ends of the longitudinal compartments provided in the body member I0. The upper ends of the ribs have cut-away portions 38 to receive the ends ofthe portions of the top wall l2 of the body portion which extend laterally from the top ends of the partitions 2|, and the side wall |1, so that the end member fills all of the spaces at the end of the body member and ts tightly over the end portions of the body member walls to reinforce the end of the body member through which the slots I3 extend.

This end member may be secured in position on the end of the body |0 by suitable detents 39 provided interiorly of the side walls of the end closure member and engaging in recesses provided in the outer surfaces of the side walls of the body member, the two members being sufciently resilient to permit disengagement of these latching devices by manual pressure on the side walls of the body portion I0.

` The body member I0 and the end closure member are preferably formed of a moldable plastic material, such as synthetic resin, and have adequate strength and resiliency to function in the manner indicated above.

In the modied arrangement shown in Figure '7, the structure is the same as that described above except that the key 40 is provided with a modified butt or handle portion 4| of rectangular shape materially smaller than the handle portion 42 of the key 43 shown in Figure 2. This permits the use of a much smaller key holding member 22, and in consequence, reduction in height of the entire key container. For this modined arrangement the key may be provided with rectangular shaped handle portion of the proper size to t the key holders provided therefor in which case the key itself enters into the novel combination of the invention.

A pair of body members |0 may be connected in endwise relation by a cover (not shown) and which is ordinarily constructed to the cover except this cover will be grooved inwardly from opposite sides thereof.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The' present embodiment are therefore, to be considered in al1 respects Vas illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed is:

l. A key container comprising a bodymember having a top wall with spaced longitudinal slots extending to one end thereof, side walls and a bottom wall, an end wall at the other end of said top wall and having vertical slots therein, said slots being longitudinally aligned with the slots in the top wall, and longitudinal partitions extending from said top wall to said bottom Wall parallel to said side walls to provide separate key receiving compartments in said body member, said compartments being aligned with the slots in the top and end walls, a rectangular key holder slidable in each compartment and having a button extending through the corresponding slot in said top wall to selectively move the key holders relative to the slotted end wall and project the shanks of keys housed at their butt ends in the holders, and an end closure member for the open end of said body member, each of said slots having two spaced recesses laterally associ; ated therewith to engage the corresponding buttons and lock said key holders in key extending Aor key retracting positions.

2. A key container comprising a rectangular housing having elongated opposing pairs of side walls and transverse end walls, one of said end walls being detachable and the opposing end wall being formed with transversely spaced vertical slots, one of said side walls being formed with longitudinally disposed slots longitudinally aligned with the slots in the end wall, longitudinal partitions formed vertically in said housing and dividing the housing into a plurality of compartments, said compartments being aligned longitudinally and vertically with the slots in the side and end Walls, key holders slidably mounted in each compartment for housing the butt ends of keys which have their shanks projecting there.- from, and an actuator connected to each holder. said actuators extending through the slots in the side wall whereby the holders can be selectively moved relative to the slotted end wall to extend the shanks of the keys through the slots in the end wall.

3. A key container comprising a rectangular housing having elongated opposing pairs of side walls and transverse end walls, one of said end walls being detachable and the opposing end wall being formed with transversely spaced vertical slots, one of said side walls being formed with longitudinally disposed slots longitudinally aligned with the slots in the end Wall, longitudinal partitions formed vertically in said housing and dividing the housing into a plurality of compartments, said compartments 4being aligned longitudinally and vertically with the slots in the side and end walls, key holders slidably mounted in each compartment for housing the butt ends of keys which have their Shanks projecting therefrom, and an actuator connected to each holder. said actuators extending through the slots in the side wall whereby the holders can be selectively moved relative to the slotted end wall to extend the shanks of the keys through the slots in the end wall, and said slotted side wall having recesses at opposite ends of the slots therein, wherein said actuators can extend to latch the holders in projected or retracted position.

4. A key container comprising a body member of su-bstantially rectangular shape having a vertically slotted end wall and an open end, longi tudinal partitions dividing the interior thereof into separate key receiving compartments of rectangular shape, one of said side Walls of the body member having longitudinal slots formed therein, a rectangular key holder slidably received in each compartment, each key holder comprising a rectangular side member having flanges along the four edges thereof, said compartments being aligned with the slots in the side and end walls, one of the anges of the side member being formed with an aperture for receiving the neck portion of a key between the shank and butt portions of the key, a rectangular cover member tting inside of said flanges, and a button extending from a ange perpendicular to said one ilange portion, and disposed through a slot in the side wall for moving the holder relative to the slotted end wall and extend the shank of the key, and an end closure member for the open end of said body member.

ALLAN D. MITCHELL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

